Riveting gun



E. A. LEE

RIVETING GUN Filed June 17, 1942 Jan. 25, 1944.

Jan. 25, 1944. E A, LEE 2,340,066

RIVETING GUN i Filed June 17, 19,42 2 sheets-sheet 2 imam Mm Le@ :NVENTOEJ (3m @m mdc,

ma ATTN.

Patented Jan. 25, 1944 Ernest Alma Lee, Deniiiquin. New south Wales,

Australia, assignor to. Paul `itY Gray 'Limited, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliafY 1 Application'June 17, 1942, Serial No. 447,463

In Australia June 9,1 941 V ooiaims T(o1. 21o-19) f This invention relates to a hand actuated riveting machine (usually called a riveting gun), for iixing pierced or tubular rivets, of the kind in which the rivet isthreaded on a mandrel having an enlarged head so that when the rivet is suitably positioned, the head of the mandrel may be drawn through the rivet to expand the shank thereof for the purpose (for example) of fixing together two or more relatively thin sheets.

More particularly this invention relates to a A riveting gun of magazine type lwherein rivets threaded von a mandrel are automatically fed forwardly and iiXed imposition in succession.

A' known riveting gun of magazine type, in-

cludes a body, a tubular barrel slidably supported v- -relative'ly'to the said body and a mandrel on which tubular rivets'are threaded, the mandrel extending axially through the barrel and being connected to'the body of the. gun. A tubular member at Vthefforward end vof the barrel supports a pair of movable jaws adapted to be closed by movement of the barrel'relatively to the body and to be opened by spring pressure. In use, the body of the gun is held by one hand while'with the otherhand the operator actuates mechanism which moves theV barrel relatively to the body in the direction of the length of the barrel. During the riveting operation, the barrelis held stationary relatively to the work to maintain vthe rivet in proper" position and consequently the body Ymoves rearwardly 'relatively to the barrel and draws the yhead of the mandrel through the positioned rivet. Continued operation of the` actuating vmeansvcauses a v return moveinntfof' the body and themandrel relatively` to thbarrel until the initial "position of the'l partsis "restored yin readiness for another riveting operation. The jaws are'timed to open andiclosejduring the movement of the mandrel, closing 'to form an abutment or anvil for the foremost rivet during the retraction of the mandrel,V and opening to allow another rivet to move forwardly .with the. mandrel. The actuating means include a rotatablecranked handle geared toaspindleon which is a cam arranged to effect rearward movement ofthe body andthe mandrel relatively to the barrel against the constraint offa spring. The return Vmovement under the actionA of the said spring causes the lbarrel to actuate parts which first release the jaws so that theymay open to; allow a rivet to travel through themand then vclose the jaws behind the foremost rivet.- Y

.fr lISnownrivetingv guns Yof the type referred to, have theA following disadvantages:

(a) Theoperator must use both hands, one to support the gun and the other to actuate thecontrol handle; i

.(b) The bedr of .the moves relatively t0 E132; @eifel llllrllf ?1 .d;,d}1rir.1g eah;rvetins oper- .this invention is that it may "to positively eontrolledat all times and are robust Yation, the said body'moves towardthe operator;

(clThe mechanism isarranged so that the manually actuated control handle must be rotatedseveral (usually three) times in each cycle .of operationsto locate and fix a rivet; (d) The operation of the jaws is positive in one direction only; and

f (c) Thegun is relatively heavy and cumber- Some.

. The primary object of this invention is to provide a compact and lightweight riveting gun ofthe typereferred to, embodying improvements .whereby the before-mentioned disadvantages are obviated.

Another object of'this invention is to provide va riveting gunV of the kind referred to, which is strong and. durable and relatively to manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide Va riveting gun which is especially suitable fior use in the aircraft, automobile and like ndustries.

,One feature of a riveting gun according to be operated in any inexpensive position by one hand. y VAnother .feature of' ariveting gun according to this invention is ,that the barrel is fixed relatively to the body or equivalent support.

Another vfeature ofA a riveting gun according this invention is that the movable jaws are and vsuitable for heavy 'duty mass production iWork.

A riveting gun according to this invention includes a tubular barrel, a head lxed on the forward; end of saidbarrel, jaws pivotally supported in said head, foams arranged between the rear part of the said jaws. a mandrel and means to vcontrol said mandrel, the said cams being connected to the means vthat control the mandrel vsothat the` cams openvthe jaws when the man- V'drel ismoved to the forward end of its'travel vand close the -jaws when the mandrel is re- 45 -tracted y But in order that this invention may be understood more readily, a practical embodiment lthereof Willbedescribed with 'reference to the accompanying drawings 4in which:

Fig. l is a side sectional elevation of a riveting Ygun according to this invention;

Fig. 2l is a side Velevation of the head of the gun detached from the barrel but showing parts asso- -ciateti',with tliehead;

' .'Fig. 3 isa plan of, thepartsshown in Fig. 2;

L Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line 4 4 of Fig.2; VVFig.l 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 but vwith the mandrel retracted; i 4Fig. asimilar view to Fig. 5 but with the mandrel fully advanced and the jaws' open;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the head shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the head shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a detail side view of the rear part of one limb of a jaw; Y

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of a cam. n

A substantially cone shaped head II is. xed to the forward end of a cylindrical barrel I2 by holding screws I3. Head II has an axial bore IIa and is recessed at IIb to accommodate the forward part of the barrel I2 to provide a flush outer face. Slots IIc through the head I I accommodate the limbs I4 which extend rearwardly from a pair of jaws, the two limbs of each jaw being pivoted on a pin I5. Each jaw consists of a substantially semi-circular collar I4a having therein a clearance I4b, each collar I4a connecting the forward ends ofthe corresponding limbs I4. When the jaws are closed the clearances I4b together form a circular opening adapted to fit about the shank Ia of a rivet I6 as hereinafter described and the collars I4a form a robust anvil. The sides of the slots IIc are parallel, but due to the taper of the head I I they appear to diverge in the elevational view of Fig. 2, the difference in the depth of the Visible part being indicated by the difference between a and b in Fig. 7.

The rear part I4c of the inner face of each limb I4.is recessed at I'I (see Fig. 10), the said recesses co-acting to form a pair of guideways for two actuating cams I8, each having a semicircular Vforward end ISa, and a semi-circular rear end I8b,'the said forward and rear-ends being connected by flat faces I8c which taper slightly from front to rear (see Fig. 11). The forward end of each recess I'I is a cam face I9, rearwardly of which is a plane face 20. The said faces I9 and 2 on each jaw |4are disposed relatively to therespective pivot pins I5 so that movement of thecams I8 forwardly or rearwardly relatively thereto causes the said jaws toopen or close as hereinafter described.

Each cam I8 is integral with the forward end of a stem 2I, the rear part of which is xed to the forward part of a tube 22 on the outer face thereof. A collar 23 on tube 22 slidably engages the interior of the barrel I2.. The rear part of tube 22 is fixed in the forward part of a piston 24 slidably arranged in the barrel I2.V

A mandrel 25 having an enlarged head 26 extends rearwardly throughV the clearance |417 in jaw members I4a, bore IIa ofthe head II, tube 22 and a clearance 2'I in the piston 24. The rear part of the mandrel 25 is xed relatively to the piston 24 by a clamp block 28 controlled by a nut 29 on a screw threaded stem 30. A clearance 30a in stem 39 allows the rear end of the mandrel 25 to pass therethrough. The head of nut 29 is apertured at 3| to receive a tommybar or other convenient control device, and the barrel I2 is slotted to permit sliding movement of nut 29. v

A rack 32 on the upper face of piston 24 meshes with a toothed segment 33 xed on a spindle 34. The limbs 35a of a control lever 35 are fixed on spindle 34 and pass through slots 35h in barrel I2. Segment 33 is arranged in an open topped housing 36 having a removable cover 36a, and the spindle 34 has rounded ends pivoted in aligned holes in the' housing 35.

A pistol grip 31 is welded orotherwise secured to the-barrel I2. v A

The pistol grip 31 and control lever 35 are constructed and arranged so that the said lever may beactuated by one hand, a finger loop 3B being provided on lever 35 to facilitate forward movement thereof. The piston 24 is urged forwardly by a strong spring 40 arranged in the rear part of the barrel I2 and held in position by a plug or the like 4I which is fixed in position by studs 42.

A supply of rivets as I6 of suitable shape and size is arranged on the mandrel, the said rivets being urged toward the head of the mandrel by a spring 43 in known manner. A clip as 44 forms an abutment for the rear end of spring 43.

The said mandrel and rivets may be of known construction and preferably (but not essentially) the bore Vof each rivet vtapers towards the shank thereof. Other suitable rivets are usable, such as anotherl known rivet having a wall inwardly thickened at the shank end.

' To prepare the gun for use, the lever 35 is moved forwardly, by hand and spring 40, until the c am I8 causes the jaws to open (see Fig. 6),

the nut 29 is loosened and the mandrel 25 is pulled out, whereupon the clip 44 and spring 43 arev removed from the mandrel. A suitable number of rivets, for example 40 or 50, is arranged on the mandrel after which the spring 43 and clip 44 are replaced and the latter is suitably adjusted. The mandrel 25 is inserted rear end first through the apertured jaws I4a and the tube 22 until the vsaid rear `end is below the clamp block 28 and the flange of the foremost .rivet is slightly forward of the jaw collars I4a (see Fig. 6).*after which nut 29 is tightened to grip the mandrel firmly to piston 24. The lever 35 is then moved to retract the piston 24 sufficiently to cause the cams I8 to close the jaws with the flange of theforemost rivet I6 against the anvil face on the jaws I4a as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The

gun is now ready for use.

In use, the gun is manipulated so that the head 26 of the mandrel 25 and the shank I6a t of theforemost rivet IBare inserted into the hole in which the rivetv is to be xed. The lever 35 is 'then fully retracted causing the segment 33 to move the `piston 24 rearwardly against` the Apressure of .spring 40. Y*

.The rearward movement of the piston 24 rejtractsthe mandrel 25 beyond the position shown in Figs. .143 and 5, causing the head 26 of the mandrelto pass through the foremost rivet I6 land to expand the shank IBa thereof so that the said rivet is xed in position. After passage of the head 26 through said first rivet, said head makes contact with the'shank IGa of the next rivet. The Vlever 35 is vthen moved forwardly by Afinger pressure on the Yloop 38 (such movement Vshown in Fig. V6 and allow the rivets I6 on the mandrel 25 to move forwardly under the influence of the spring 43 until the foremost rivet vagain meets the head2u` of the mandrel. The lever 35 is then operated to 'retract the piston 24 until the cams IBImeet the plane faces 20 ofthe guideways and thus close the jaws I4 withV the head vof the foremost rivet against the anvil facesV I4a las shownin Figs; 1 and 2, after whichthe riveting operation as hereinbefore described may be repeated.

What I claim is:

1. A riveting gun of the type specified having a barrel, a head fixed on the forward end of said barrel, jaws pivotally supported in said head, a mandrel arranged axially in said barrel, a support for said mandrel, means for clamping said mandrel to said support, means to reciprocate said support, and cams arranged to positively open and close the said jaws, the said cams being connected to said support.

2. A riveting gun of the type specified having a barrel, a head fixed at the forward end of the said barrel, jaws pivotally supported in said head, cams to open and close said jaws, a mandrel arranged axially of said barrel, a piston in said barrel, means to clamp said mandrel to said piston, and a tube forwardly of said piston, the said jaw opening and closing cams being connected to said tube and the latter being carried by said piston.

3. A riveting gun as claimed in claim 1, and wherein each jaw is recessed internally to form guideways and has a curved face at the forward end of each said recess, the said guideways and curved faces being disposed relatively to the pivots of the respective jaws so that the jaws are opened and closed by the movement of cams along the said guideways.

4. In a riveting gun of the type specified, a-

head having an axial bore, a mandrel movable axially in the said bore relatively to said head, slots in said head, a pair of jaws having limbs pivotally supported in said slots, a recess in the rear part of each limb of each said jaw, a cam face at the forward part of each said recess and cams arranged to slide in guideways formed by said recesses, the said cams being movable simultaneously with the mandrel and being arranged to open the jaws when the mandrel is advanced to the foremost position and to close the jaws when the mandrel is retracted suiciently to press the flange of the foremost rivet against the forward end of the said jaws.

5. A riveting gun of the type specified having a barrel, a head fixed on the forward end of said barrel, jaws pivotally supported in said head, cams disposed between the rear part of said jaws to control the opening and closing thereof, a piston slidably arranged in said barrel, means to support said cams on said piston, means to connect the rear end of the mandrel to said piston, a spring to resiliently urge said piston forr wardly, and mechanism to reciprocate said piston relatively to said barrel.

6. A riveting gun having a barrel, a pistol grip fixed thereto, a reciprocable piston slidably arranged in said barrel, a lever pivotally supported relatively to said barrel and movable relatively to said pistol grip, gearing operable by said lever to reciprocateisaid piston, a tube extending forwardly fromgsaid piston, a head fixed on the forward en'dof said barrel, a mandrel extending through saidghead and said tube and having its rear end fixed relatively to said piston, a pair of jaws pivotally supported on said head, recesses in the rear part of each said jaw, cams arranged to slide in said recesses to actuate said jaws, and supports for said cams, said supports extending forwardly from and being fixed to said tube, the arrangement lbeing such that when the lever handle is actuated to move the reciprocable piston to the foremost position, the jaw actuating cams and the mandrel travel forwardly together, the cams opening the jaws and the mandrel being advanced to a position in which the foremost rivet thereon is forwardly of the jaws, the rst part of the rearward movement of the lever retracting the cams to close the jaws and retracting the mandrel so that the flange of the said foremost rivet bears against the outer end of the said jaws.

7. In a riveting gun of the type specified, a barrel, a head fixed on the forward end of said barrel, jaws each comprising a pair of limbs arranged in slots in said head, and a collar disposed forwardly of the forward end of said head, means to pivotally support the limbs of each said jaw, a recess in the inner rear part of each limb of each jaw, a curved face at the forward end of each said recess and cams arranged to be reciprocated in guideways formed by opposed recesses, said cams and said recesses being constructed and arranged so that forward movement of the cams opens said jaws and rearward movement of the cams closes said jaws.

8. In a, riveting gun of the kind specified a barrel, a head fixed on the forward end of said barrel, slots in said head, jaws having limbs disy posed in said slots and pivoted relatively to said head, cams to co-act with said limbs to open and close said jaws, a mandrel extending through said head, a piston reciprocable in said barrel, means to connect said mandrel and said cams to said piston and means to control the said piston, the parts being arranged so that forward movement of the piston advances the mandrel and opens the jaws and rearward movement of the piston closes the jaws and retracts the mandrel.

9. A riveting gun having a barrel, a pistol grip fixed thereto, a reciprocable piston arranged in said barrel, a spring in saidbarrel at the rear of said piston, a lever pivotally supported relatively to said barrel and movable relatively to said pistol grip, a toothed rack on said piston, gearing engaging said rack and operable by said lever to reciprocate said piston, a tube extending forwardly from said piston, a head fixed on the forward end of said barrel, an axial bore in said head, a mandrel extending through said bore and said tube, means to fix the rear end of said mandrel relatively to said piston, a pair of jaws pivotally supported relatively to said head, recesses in the rear part of each said jaw, cams arranged to slide in said recesses to actuate said jaws, supports for said cams extending forwardly from said tube, a head on the forward end of said mandrel and a spring about said mandrel to urge rivets on said mandrel toward said head, the arrangement being such that when the 'lever handle is actuated to move the piston to the foremost position, the jaw actuating cams and the mandrel travel forwardly together, the cams opening the jaws and the mandrel being advanced to a position in which the foremost rivet thereon is forwardly of the jaws, the first part of the rearward movement of the lever retracting the cams to close the jaws and retracting the mandrel so that the flange of the said foremost rivet bears against the forward face of the said jaws, and further rearward movement of the lever retracts the mandrel to draw the mandrel head through the foremost rivet to expand the shank thereof. Y

ERNEST ALMA LEE. 

